Bulugh al-Maram

Lexical Explanation:
«قَتْلٰي» is the plural of «قتيل», which means "the slain" (murdered/martyr).
«اُحدٟ» — both the "hamzah" and the "ha" have a dammah (u-sound). Due to the genitive construction, it is in the genitive case. It is the name of a well-known and famous mountain to the north of Madinah. The Battle of Uhud was fought near this mountain, which is well-known in Islamic history. This battle took place in the month of Shawwal in the 3rd year of Hijrah, in which seventy noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) drank from the cup of martyrdom, and the blessed incisor tooth of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was also wounded.
«اَيُّهُمْ اَكْثَرُ اَخْذاً لِلْقُرْآنِ» — the one who has memorized more of the Qur'an and possesses greater knowledge of it.
«فَيُقَدَّمُهُ» — derived from taqdim, meaning to place first or to bring forward.
«الَلَّحُدِ» — the niche made in the side of the grave to place the deceased is called a lahd.

Benefits and Rulings:
Several rulings are established from this hadith:
➊ In a situation of necessity, it is permissible to shroud two people in a single shroud.
➋ It is also permissible to bury two or more deceased in a single grave; however, among them, the one who is a sahib al-Qur'an (possessor of the Qur'an) should be placed first and positioned closer to the qiblah.
➌ The martyrs (shuhada) in the path of Allah are not given a ritual bath (ghusl), as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said regarding the martyrs of Uhud: "Do not give them a ritual bath; every wound of theirs will emit the fragrance of musk and ambergris on the Day of Resurrection." [مسند احمد : 299/3]
➍ The funeral prayer (janazah) for martyrs is also not obligatory. As for the narrations in which it is mentioned that the funeral prayer was performed for the martyrs of Uhud and that seventy takbirs were said over Hamzah (radi Allahu anhu), Imam Shafi'i (rahimahullah) states that those narrations are not authentic. In Sahih al-Bukhari, from the narration of Uqbah ibn Amir (radi Allahu anhu), it is known that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed the funeral prayer for the martyrs of Uhud eight years later. [صحيح البخاري، الجنائز، حديث : 1344]
Imam Shafi'i (rahimahullah) states that what is meant by this is supplication for their forgiveness; otherwise, why would those who hold the view that the funeral prayer for a martyr is obligatory not perform the funeral prayer at the grave after a long period?

Hadith Commentary:
What can be said about the virtues and merits of the martyrs of Uhud! These are the distinguished sons of Islam who nurtured the sapling of Islam with their blood. Islamic history will take pride in them until the Day of Judgment. Two of them were placed together in a single grave and buried without being given a ritual bath (ghusl), and on the Day of Resurrection, they will appear before Allah’s supreme court in this very state.

Someone has beautifully said:
“Bana kar dund khush rasme bakhak o khoon ghalatidan.
...
Allah’s mercy be upon these pure-natured lovers.”

Because these individuals were martyred in the path of Allah (fi sabilillah), they have been granted forgiveness by Allah, so what need is there for the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah)? However, if someone wishes to perform it, they may do so; in any case, the funeral prayer is legislated. And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary: The correspondence between the hadith and the chapter is evident.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The gathering of two people is either in the grave or in the shroud (kafan). If it refers to gathering in the shroud, then it necessitates that they are buried together in the grave. The hadith mentions the gathering of two people, whereas the chapter heading also mentions three people. Thus, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has alluded to the narration that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to bury two or three people in a single grave. In one narration, it is mentioned that on the day of Uhud, the Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and said, "We are wounded and are facing great hardship." He said: "Make the graves deep and wide, then bury two or three people in one grave." (Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-Jana'iz, Hadith: 3215)

(2)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has written that in case of necessity, two women may also be gathered in one grave. Similarly, a man and a woman may also be buried together; in such a case, the man should be placed in front and the woman behind him, and a barrier of earth or the like should be erected between them, especially if the man and woman are strangers to each other. (Fath al-Bari: 3/270)

1957. Commentary:
➊ "Placed forward" so that its virtue may become manifest.
➋ "With the blood" so that their state of being wronged remains established, and their virtue becomes manifest on the Day of Resurrection, because in whatever state a person is buried, in that very state he will be raised on the Day of Resurrection.
➌ Burying the martyr (shahid) without ritual bath (ghusl) and funeral prayer (janazah) is his distinctive honor. The discussion regarding the funeral prayer of the martyr has already passed in the previous hadith.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
The mentioned narration is an evidence for those who hold the view that the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) should not be performed for a martyr (shahid).
However, from some narrations, the permissibility of performing the funeral prayer is also established, as has been mentioned in previous narrations. Therefore, there is flexibility in this matter.
Nevertheless, performing the funeral prayer is considered recommended (mustahabb) according to the scholars, as Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah has stated.
This is because the funeral prayer is a supplication (du'a) and an act of worship ('ibadah).
However, making the performance of the funeral prayer for a martyr into a means of publicity or for worldly objectives and purposes is not a commendable act.
In this manner, even its permissibility and recommendation become questionable.

➋
In specific circumstances, it is permissible to bury more than one person in a single grave.

➌
Memorization of the Qur'an (hifz al-Qur'an) is an honor,
which should be taken into consideration even at the time of burial.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The reason given for not performing ritual bath (ghusl) for a martyr (shahid) is that martyrdom is an act of worship, and the blood is an effect of this worship; it should remain as it is.
It is mentioned in the hadith that from this blood will emanate the fragrance of musk.
It is narrated from Hazrat Jabir (radi Allahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said regarding the martyrs of Uhud:
“Do not perform ritual bath (ghusl) for them, for from every wound of theirs, on the Day of Resurrection, the scent of musk will come forth.” (Musnad Ahmad 3/299)
(2)
In view of the generality of this narration, the Shafi‘is have taken the position that even if the martyr is a non-mahram or a menstruating woman, she should not be given ritual bath (ghusl).
Some have said that they should be given ritual bath (ghusl) without the intention of the funeral bath, just as Hazrat Hanzalah (radi Allahu anhu) was given the ritual bath of major impurity (ghusl janabah) by the angels.
However, if giving the ritual bath (ghusl) had been obligatory, the angels’ bath would not have been considered sufficient; rather, the guardians would have been instructed regarding the ritual bath.
The clear meaning of this is that it is not necessary to give ritual bath (ghusl) to a martyr who was in a state of major impurity (janabah).
(Fath al-Bari: 3/270)